Supplemental car-step.



No.760,990.' I PATENTED MAY 24,1904,

B. HOWE. SUPPLEMENTAL GAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11,1903.

r'NO MODEL. zsnnnrewsnnnw 1.

a I I 2 m y Q No. 760,990. PATBNTED MAY 24,1904.-

E. HOWEE. SUPPLEMENTAL GAR STEP.

APPLICATION IILBD JUNE-11, 1903. N0 MODEL. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.i neon:

h e31 I r intended- UNITED STATES Patented May 94, 1904.

EDGAR HOWE, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

v SUPPLEMENTAL CAR-STEP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters-Patent No. 760,990, dated May 24, 1904.

Application filed June 11, 1903. Serial No. 161,110. (No model.)

- To all whont it uty concern.-

will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

- This invention relates to supplemental steps for passenger-cars; and its object is to provide in conjunction with the ordinary steps of a car one or more additional steps which may be lowered for use beneath the lower permanent I step and when not desired for use may be folded up out of the way against the ordinary steps, whereby when a train is standing at a station to take on and let off passengers-the supplemental'steps of the cars may be brought into operative position, thus doing away with the step-platforms commonly used, and when the train is about to start off said supplemental steps may be folded back, so as not to 'pro ject beyond thesides of the car. A further object is to provide a pair of steps so mounted'tliat one or both may be brought into position for use as required, according to the distance between the ground and lower permanent step, and folded back, so as to lie upon the ordinary steps when not in use.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the invention to a car and also showing oneof the steps positioned for use and the other folded back, the position to which the latter-named step may be adjusted for use being indicated by broken lines. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the supplemental steps folded back. Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the same. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing both supplemental steps extended for use. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the stops of the lower supplemental step.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents the platform of a car, which is provided with the usual permanent steps 2. For use in conjunction with these steps 2 I provide upper and lower supplemental steps 3 and 3'. The upper supplemental Step3 is carried by the arms 4, which are pivoted at their inner ends upon pins or bolts 5, mounted on the end of the car and outer end of the platform, and said step is also by arms 4", which are secured to braces 7, the

latter being provided at their inner endswith right-angular'ears 5, which are mounted to swing upon the pins or bolts 5, thus adapting the step 3 to swing outwardly beyond the step 3 and. inwardly, so as to fold back upon one of the permanent stepsl2above the step 3. As shown, the arms rare disposed approximately at right angles to the braces 7 and the latter are bent to form steps or inclined portions 7*, which when the supple mental step 3 is folded or extended project downwardly, so that the outer ends of the braces will lie upon the step 3 and the arms 4 will extend downwardly below said Step3 and support the step 3 the desired distance below step 3 and also so that when the step 3 is folded up the braces and arms will conform to the shape of the steps 2. By this construction both supplemental steps 3 and 3 are adapted to seat flat upon the permanent steps 2 when folded, so as to offer no obstruction to travel over said permanent steps when theuse of the supplemental steps is not required. The steps 3 and 3 are provided with handles 8 to enable them to be conveniently extended and folded. In order to adapt the step 3 to be easily adjusted to position and to maintain it in said position, the arms 4' are provided with disks or heads 9, each of which is provided with a stop-lug 10, while the step 3 is formed or provided with rearwardly-extending disks or heads 9', which are pivoted to the said disks 9 by pivot-bolts 9, each of the said disks 9 having a pair of stop-lugs 10 and 10". By this construction when the step 3 is extended said step may be turned down to a horizontal position and will be supported in such position by the lug 10 engaging the lug 10 on the disk 9. On the other hand, when the step 3' is folded up it may be turned in the reverse direction until the stop 1O engages the stop 10 to allow said step to fold fiat down upon one of the permanent steps 2. Hence it will be seen that the lower supplemental step 3 is adapted to be supported in extended position by the step 3 and when not in use conforms closely to the permanent steps 2, so that it will not be in the way of pedestrians.

In operation when the upper supplemental step 3 only is to be used said step is swung downwardly to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and the step 3 allowed to remain in folded position; but if the use of both supplemental steps is required then the step 3 is swung down over and beyond the step 3, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 4, thus providing two additional steps to cover the space below the lower step of the permanent steps 2. When thus extended, it will be seen that the braces 7 of the step 3" snugly fit over the step 3, and thus support the step 3 in proper relation. In operating the steps the step 3 is first swung upward and inward to rest upon one of the permanent steps 2,and then the step 3 is swung in like manner to rest upon the permanent step next below.

From the foregoing description,'taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the'principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a car-platform and its steps, a pair of independently-swinging supplemental steps, one of said supplemental steps being mounted to swing downward be low the platform-steps and upward upon said steps, and the other to swing upward upon the platform-steps above the first-named supplemental step and to swing downward over and below said first-named supplemental step and provided with arms to rest upon and be supported from the said first-named supplemental step, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a car-platform and its steps, a pair of independently-swinging supplemental steps, said supplemental steps having supporting-arms of different lengths and coaxially pivoted, whereby one of said supplemental steps is mounted to swing clownward below the platform-steps and upward upon said steps, and the other to swing up ward 'upon the platform-steps above the firstnamed supplemental step and to swing downward over and below said first-named supplemental step and to rest thereon so as to be supported thereby, and folding braces for supporting the said first-named step, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a car-platform and its steps, a pair of supplemental steps pivotally mounted to swing downward one below the other below the platform-steps, and to fold one above the other over upon said steps, the pivotal connections for said supplemental steps comprising braces pivoted to the platform-steps, the braces of one supplemental step being longer than the braces of the other supplemental step to adapt said steps to fold, one of the steps being adapted to support the other step when the steps are unfolded, and links for supporting the supporting-steps, substantially as described.

4:. In combination with a car-platform and its steps, a pair of supplemental steps coaxially pivoted to swing downward independently one below the other, below the platformsteps and to fold one above the other over upon said steps, one of the-steps being adapted to rest upon andbeing supported by the other step, when the steps are unfolded, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDGAR HOWE.

Witnesses:

M. F. SHEA, T. H. SHEA. 

